Improvement in traction-engines



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

0. G. COOPER. Traot'iomEngine.

Patented Aug. 19,1879.

N.PErER8, P RAPHER, WASHINGTON. D c.

2 Sheets-$heet 2.

Patented Aug. 19,1879.

Fag I H. I l 1 In wzfior: U00 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES Gr. COOPER, OF MOUNT VERNON, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN TRACTION-ENGINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent .No. 218.714, dated August19, 1879 application filed July 7, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES Gr.- COOPER, of 'Mount Vernon, in the countyof Knox and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Traction-Engines, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to double-acting automatic pawl-and-ratehet devicesfor communieating movementto the power-driven truckwheels of atraction-engine, saiddevices being so arranged and combined as toautomatically act in either direction, whether forward or backward, andat the same time to leave the said truck-wheels free to moveindependently of one another and at different rates of speed, as isrequired when the engine turns or moves in a curved path.

A double-aetin g automatic pawl-and-ratchet device thus combined withthe truck-wheels is, broadly considered, not new with me, the same beingshown and described in Letters Patent to Francis Alger, No. 117,958,dated August 15, 1871. My invention is directed to an improvedconstruction of the device itself, and also to improvements in themanner of combining or arrangingit with respect to both the drivingmechanism, from which it receives movement, and the truck-wheels, towhich it imparts movement.

These improvements can best be explained and understood by referenee'tothe accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a section of thepawl-and-ratchet mechanism, the plane of section passing through theaxisof the shaft on which the Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section onli-ne a: at, Fig. 1. Fig.3 is a.

mechanism is mounted.

side elevation of the ratchet part of the mechanism. Fig. 4 is a sideelevation of a tractionengine embodying my improvements; and

'are equally adapted .to other kinds of tractionengines.

ism of the engine.

The pawl-and-ratchet mechanism may be applied to the axle of thepower-drivemtruckwheels or to the truck-wheels, or it may be mountedupon what is knownvas the intermediate shaft. I prefer the latterarrangement for several reasons, and have represented the same in thedrawings;

The intermediate shaft is marked A. It is supported in proper bearingsonythe boiler, and, in this instance, extends thereunder, just in frontof the fire-box, across the engine. At each end it carries apawl-and-ratchet mechanism, and as these mechanisms are counterparts ofone another a description of one will answer for both.

The details of construction are shown clearly in Figs. 1, 2, and 3.

The first member of the mechanism is the sleeve or disk B, which I shallterm the reversing-disk. This member is connected with and receivesmotion from the driving mechan- It is in this instance keyed on therotary intermediate shaft A, on which is also keyed the bevel-gear wheela, which meshes with a corresponding gear, a, in the lower end of theinclined shaft F. The reversing-disk is provided on its periphery with aseries of rounded or convex. guide-teeth, 1), whose function will bepresently described.

Upon the hub of the reversing disk is mounted loosely the disk 0,provided on its periphery with ratchet-teeth c.- The ratchetdisk andreversing-disk are connected by what may be considered atongue-and-groove connection, tongues d on the hub of the reversing-diskprojecting into groovesor recesses e in the ratchet-disk, the groovesbeing wider than the tongues, as shown ate, so that the reversing-diskmay rotate to a certain extent without influencing or moving theratchetdisk, this being necessary in reversing the movement in order toshift the guide-teeth b with respect to the ratchet-teeth before puttingthe ratchet-disk in motion. The width of the space 6 will be determinedby the extent of movementof the guide-teeth necessaryin order to shiftthem into their new position with relation to the ratchet-teeth.

Loosely mounted on the shaftAis the pawl hub or wheel D, provided with alaterallyprojecting rim, on which are hung one or more pairs of pawls, EE, in position to engage the ratchet, the acting ends of said pawlsbeing, by spring-pressure, pressed toward the ratchetteeth. The pawls ofeach pair are placed in opposition, so that one will engage and act onthe ratchet in a direction opposite to that in which the other will act.The pawls overhang both the ratchet-teeth and the guide-teeth, and areof a width or thickness to rest on both.

I find it desirable to have the guide-teeth equal in number to theratchet-teeth. Peripherally, however, they are considerably longer thanthe ratchet-teeth, and they are also of such height that their crownsare at least flush with and, preferably, a little above the outer facesof the ratchet-teeth, as shown in the drawings.

The mode of operation of the mechanism is as follows: Suppose the partsto be in the position represented in Fig. 2, and the shaft A to berotating in the direction of the arrow. Through the instrumentality ofthe reversingdisk, which is keyed to the shaft, the ratchetdisk iscaused to revolve in the same direction, and in so doing engages thepawl E, thus causing the revolution of the wheel D.

Under these conditions all the parts B G D move together, the pawls Ebeing held up out of engagement with the ratchet. If, for any reason thepawl, wheel, or hub should move faster than the ratchet-disk and itsactuating mechanism, this is permitted by reason of the guide-teeth b.The pawl E will, of course, slip easily over the ratchet-teeth, evenwithout assistance of the guide-teeth. The pawl E, as it advances, willride up over the exposed slanting or curved face b of each guide-toothb, aiid will be so carried up and over the ratchet teeth withoutengaging any one of them. Thus slip-motion of the pawl-wheel is providedfor, which will permit that wheel to revolve independently of thepawl-and-ratchet mechanism.

If, now, the motion of shaft A be reversed, the first effect of thereversal will be to move the reversin g-d isk in dependen tly ofthe-ratchetdisk through a distance equal to the space 0, and in somoving it shifts the position of the guide-teeth b, lifting the pawls Eout of engagement, and bringing the guide-teeth relatively to that pawlinto a position similar to that which they before occupied with relationto the pawl E.

By the time the guide-teeth have been thus shifted the reversing-diskhas again engaged and put in motion the ratchet-disk, which at once isengaged by pawl E. In this reverse movement, however, the wheel D hasthe same capacity for slip motion or movement independent of thepawl-and-ratchet mechanism. I thus obtain a double-actin g automaticpawland-ratchet mechanism, which can be used to efi'ect both forward andbackward movements at pleasure, while the wheels at the same time retaincapacity for movement independent of and unaffected by the drivingmechanism.

The intermediate shaft A, as above specified, receives movement from theinclined revolving shaft F, which at its upper end is provided with abeveled gear, f, so positioned as to engage one or the other of thebeveled gears g g on the engine-shaft G. The gears g g are united by aspline-and-groove or equivalent connection with the engine-shaft, andcan slide lengthwise thereon. They are to be connected with a suitablesystem of levers or shipping devices, by which either one, at pleasure,can be brought into engagement with the gear f. in order to reverse themovement of the inclined shaft whenever desired, as will be understoodwithout further explanation.

The pawl wheels or hubs D are provided with pinions D, which mesh withthe toothed wheels H, by which the rear truck-wheels, I, are driven.

1 find it desirable to use in connection with each ratchet-hub a brakeor friction device, with a view to preventing the disk from movingduring the independent movement of the disk B in reversing, or when thetruck-wheel is moving faster than the shaft A.

There are numerous ways in which friction can be applied. That shown inthe drawings is perhaps as simple and efl'ective as any. As there shown,the device consists-of a stifl elastic bar, K, of metal or othersuitable material, which bears upon the hubof the ratchet-disk, a groovebeing formed in said hub-to receive the end of the brake-bar.

Having now described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, 1s

1. The power-driven reversing-disk provided with peripheral rounded orcurved guideteeth, the ratchet-disk, and the pawl-wheel, with one ormore pawls thereon, these members being combined and arranged for jointoperation, substantially as set forth.

2. The reversing-disk and guide-wheel thereon, and the pawl-wheel, incombination with the ratchet-disk mounted loosely on the hub of saidreversing-disk, and connected therewith by a tongue-and-grooveconnection, which will permit the independent movement of thereversing-disk requisite to theproper shifting of the guide-teeth whenmovement is reversed, substantially as set forth.

3. In combination with the ratchet-disk, arranged to operate inconnection with the reversing-disk and pawl-wheel, substantially asdescribed, a brake or friction device, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

4. The automatically double-acting pawland-ratchet mechanism, composedof the reversing-disk, the ratchet-disk, and the pawlwheel, mounted onthe intermediate shaft, and arranged to operate together as specified,in combination with the engine-shaft provided with reversing or shiftinggears, and the inclined shaft geared on the one hand to the intermediateshaft, and on the other hand to the engine-shaft, substantially as andfor the purposes set forth.

bination with the engine-shaft, the independent power-driventruck-wheels, and mechanism whereby power from the engine-shaft istransmitted through said pawl-and-ratohet mechanism to the truek'wheels,substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing Witnesses.

CHARLES GRAY COOPER.

Witnesses:

DESAULT B. KIRK, LYNN M. MURPHY.

